The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-09-23
ANTICS OF AN APE.
Trying to Catch a Stray Monkey I'm
Paris-A Question of Ownership.

Trying to Catch a Stray Monkey I'm
Paris-A Question of Ownership.
Poe's tragic tale of the murderous an
tics of an ape in Paris has just found a
comical counterpart. Oddly enough, both
dramas we're enacted in the same locality,
that is to say, not far from the morgue.
A bevy of newly enlisted conscripts, with
painted pictures on their hats, were
crossing the Point Neuf, arm in arm,
keeping step to the music of the ''Marsel-
laise, - when suddenly they saw a small
but nimble monkey leaping and bound
ing in front of them, making 1gzag
course, from one side of the bridge to
the other, frightened at the water on
either hand, and too beaddled in mind to
think of making straight and swift es-
cape to the end Of the bridge, and thence
TO his home. The young conscripts, for
getting their country and its national
song, gave a scream of delight, broke
ranks and gave instant chase after the
lively little beast. The raw recruits, I'M
diciplinedeyet eager for action, performed
prOdigies of valOr in running against and
knocking one another down, and whlsk-
ing off one another's picture covered
hats, but no one of the hunters caught
the monkey. He lodged deity between
the collective legs of the whole battalion,
and was as brisk In his new departures
as the Irishman's flea. Soon the melee,
like a travelling gust of wind, was trans
ferred from the bridge to the adjoining
quai de Ia meggiSserie. Here the numer-
Gus passers by, on seeing the fun, at once
Joined in it, adding5to the baf1led military
force a fresh civil reserve, The spectacle
was exhilarating. The crowd became
dense, and everybody was soon stupidity
looking down and around, here and
there, expecting the monkey to be found
under somebody's feet.
s'Poor thing he win probably be
trampled to death, > exclaimed some
humane voices.
But this apprehension was soon put at
rest. A hundred merry Threats sud-
denly burst into a ringing cheer. Had
the monkey been caught? No! He was
farther than ever from such an ignO-
minious fate-he had climbed a tree!
Look at the little brute, " said a stout
gentleman, who had legal portfolio
under his arm, chow he is grinning at
us! showing contempt to the court and
fury"
Two or three ragamuffns, veritable
gamins, then climbed the monkeys tree,
almost as nimbly as if they had been
their hands upon their Simian brother?
Not at all! He hoped from branch to
branch, and, on being hotly pressed,
made a final and splendid jump-better
than anything done on the trapeze at the
ppodrome-landing himself safely on
the next tree. The gamins were badly
laughed at. Nothing so i'll succeeds as
i'll success, as Talleyrand might have OBJ
served. But the gan1ins were not to be
Disconnected by a laugh nor outwitted
by an ape. The young rogues attacked
the next tree, and the next, until the
monkey, having no more trees to leap
into, skipped at last to the only remain
ing refuge, which was the top Of lamp
post On this low pinnacle of evident
danger his chances of maintaining his
liberty and life might have been small,
except for the opportune interference of
tall policeman, who said:
''Stand off, boys, will reach up and
take him down, quietly"
Whereupon the gentle giant out
stretched his long right arm, and grazed
the willing captive, who showed mani
fest signs of relief at thus receiving the
protection of the law.
Was the sport now over? Certainly
not. 1t was, in fact, rebegun.
s'Who is the owner of this animal?
Let him step forth and claim his pro-
perty,'' said the officer, nagisterially.
''The monkey is mine, replied whis-
kered young man, with unkempt hair
and an uncanny look.
''No; he is mine, - replied a small boy,
smaller even than any Of the gamins
who had climbed the trees.
''You are little liar, rejoined the
unkempt man.
''You are big thief retorted the
courageous lad.
In two minutes the popular interest in
this dispute grew to fever heat. There
was something in the honest, scared, tear
full look of the little boy that excited the
sympathy of the bystanders. A police
man is of all men, pre-eminently sus-
piciOus. The policeman who held the
monkey gave a searching and suspicious
look at the grizzly whiskerando who stood
as claimant.
''Give the monkey to the little boy,
cried several voices in the crowd.
mot without evidence, " replied the
/ officer. $50, now, my little man, can
you prove to me that this monkey Is
yours?''
.sYes, 1 cam cried the boy trium-
/ phantly; this is a he monkey, and
have his wife in my pocket
! WhereupOn, to the establishment and
! delight of the applauding crowd, the lad
! drew forth from his pocket tiny pet fe
male monkey, the animal which the
French call the guenon. The evidence
I was complete, and, as the French journ-
! alists say, 1.-The incident was closed. =
| Kansas City Journal.